Funding for Teacher Training students

Information on the range of financial support available for Teacher Training students at the University of Birmingham in the 2024/25 academic year. Male teacher with primary school student

Tuition fee and Maintenance loans

Funding is available to help you train to teach. You can apply for a:

  • tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 to cover your teacher training, so you do not need to pay course fees upfront
  • maintenance loan of up to £13,022 to help with living costs

You can still apply for a tuition fee and a maintenance loan if you already have a student loan, and regardless of whether you get a teaching bursary or scholarship.

UK students should apply to their appropriate regional funding agency for the tuition fee loan at the same time as applying for other statutory support (i.e. the maintenance loan and grants).

Find out more about tuition fee and maintenance loans

If you’re not a UK citizen, you are unlikely to get help funding your training unless you have permission to live permanently in the UK, for example under the EU Settlement Scheme, or are training to teach languages or physics. You will also need to meet some other eligibility requirements.

Find out about funding for non-UK citizens.

Training bursaries and scholarships

You may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship if your teacher training course leads to qualified teacher status (QTS). These are tax-free amounts of money you receive to train in certain subjects. You do not need to pay them back. 

Your bursary or scholarship will be paid in a minimum of 10 equal monthly instalments over the duration of your course by your teacher training provider.

Your teacher training provider will confirm the payment dates and amounts.

If you’re a non-UK citizen without indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you will not usually be eligible for a bursary or scholarship, unless you train to teach languages or physics. Find out more about funding for non-UK citizens.

You do not need to apply for a bursary. If you’re eligible, you’ll automatically receive it. However, you will need to apply for a scholarship and each scholarship body will have its own deadline.

Find out more about bursaries and scholarships

SKE courses

If you start your teacher training course between September 2023 and July 2024, you could be eligible for a bursary of £175 per week to complete your SKE course.

If you do a part-time course and complete less than 25 hours a week, this will be paid in proportion to your course hours. If you complete your SKE course with compressed hours, this might reduce your bursary amount. How and when your bursary is paid will vary by training provider.

You can use your SKE bursary for any extra costs you may have while studying, for example, making up for any lost income. You will need to complete your course before your teacher training starts to receive your SKE bursary.

If you’re a non-UK citizen, you may be eligible for a SKE bursary if you’re training to teach physics or modern foreign languages.

Find out more about SKE funding

Hockerill Educational Foundation grants

The Hockerill Educational Foundation invites applications for grants (usually worth £500-£1,000 per year) to teacher training students who have particular financial difficulties.

Students training to teach Religious Education are their highest priority, but they can also help students in other areas, particularly primary education students. If you think you may be eligible, you should apply now for a grant for the academic year 2023/24. Applications received by 31 March 2023 will have priority, but they will consider later applications if funds are still available. 

To request an application form and guidance email: info@hockerillfoundation.org.uk

Association of Church College Trusts

Trainees in secondary Religious Education are eligible to apply to one of the Church College Trusts for a grant towards course expenses or living expenses. Candidates can check the Culham St. Gabriel's Trust website for further details of the trusts and foundations to which they can apply. The date for applications is 31 March annually.

International students

International students are not eligible for Tuition Fee Loans, Maintenance Loans or training bursaries. In exceptional circumstances, they may be eligible for a Hockerill Educational Foundation grant.

Further information

For the most up-to-date information, please refer to  Get into Teaching or contact the Department for Education directly on +44(0)800 3892500.